Camp countdown: A look at the offensive line

Fall football camp for the Houston Cougars is only a week away — the first day of practice is Friday, Aug. 5 — so with camp nearing, we’ll take a glance at the different positions over the next week and how things look heading into practice. Today, we’ll start with the offensive line.

The interesting thing about this group is that the coaches have said that this is the biggest line collectively they’ve had in years. When asked how the size compared to previous years, co-offensive coordinator Jason Phillips said “There is no comparison,” and likened the size they have now to the size the Cougars had around the time he played or in the early 1990s. However, there isn’t a ton of starting experience that will exist in the front five when the Cougars kickoff

against UCLA on Sept. 3. There are only two returning starters within the group.

With all that being said, let’s peruse through the positions:

TacklesAt left tackle, junior Jacolby Ashworth is penciled in as the starter and will be entering his second full season as a starter at the position. Offensive line coach B.J. Anderson said that he’s counting on Ashworth taking a leadership role since he’s one of the most experienced on the line.

“We expect Jacolby to take a definite leadership role,” Anderson said. “He’s had a good summer…I’m excited about him getting started in camp.”

Coaches are looking for leadership from Jacolby Ashworth (Nick de la Torre/Chronicle)

The right tackle spot will be a battle between Rowdy Harper and Ralph Oragwu. The two battled in the spring and though Harper came out with the slight edge and is listed the starter as the depth chart, Anderson expects the battle to continue in August.

“That’s been exciting to watch,” Anderson said. “That’s been a fun position to watch. They’re two young guys but they’re excited about the opportunity to be a starting player here. Both of them have work their tails off this summer to help themselves earn that job come fall camp. It was extremely competitive in the spring and I expect it to be really interesting come fall camp.

“I think you’ll see both of those guys play a lot of football this fall.”

Anderson said that both of them will get work at the left tackle position as the Cougars will look to find some quality depth in developing someone as a “swing” tackle that can play on either side. He said Oragwu is worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks.

“I’d keep an eye on Ralph Oragwu. He’s had a good summer. He’s a guy that’s starting to figure out that he’s a redshirt sophomore. I think he’s really going to make a run at one of those tackle positions and he’ll give us some needed depth as well.”

Other players who will get reps at tackle are redshirt freshman Chris Hill and Blinn College transfer Josh McNeill.

“I can’t tell you which guys right now are right side backups and which ones are left side backups,” Anderson said. “We have about four or five that can play the tackle position and I need to come out of fall camp with four of them that are ready to help us win games.”

Where McNeill fits in is largely unknown at this point. Anderson said he has always played on the right side of the ball when he was at Blinn College. Given that, you could see him figure in somewhere in the right guard/right tackle mix and he’ll get reps at both spots.

GuardsTy Cloud, a redshirt sophomore, is the guy at left guard heading into camp. At 6-4, 315 he’s one of the biggest the Cougars have up front.

“He’s worked awfully hard this summer as well,” Anderson said. “He’s such a strong kid. I’m comfortable with him right now at the left guard position.”

At the right guard, Bryce Redmen and Josh McNeill will get to work there and get to battle. Because he was around for spring and has been around longer than the newcomer McNeill, the early edge goes to him going into camp.

“He’s one of the strongest kids on our team,” Anderson said. “He’s working hard to get his weight to what I consider playing (weight), which is 290 mark….He and Josh McNeill will go at each other at that position.

“Bryce knows the offense, works hard on it and he’s extremely physical. He played high school ball at Longview where they ran the ball a ton so he’s having to learn his way through the pass protection stuff. But he’s a kid that has had a great summer as well and I expect him to have a great fall camp as well.”

As for DeAnthony Sims, the converted defensive lineman, he currently figures in at left guard, battling in the depth chart with Kevin Forsch. Anderson said that when it comes to depth, who’s at right guard or left guard isn’t as critical as simply having quality depth.

“I need all of those guys for left and right guard,” Anderson said. “I feel good about our guard depth going into camp. We’ve got five or six guys that played that position.”

CenterTwo-time All-Conference USA selection Chris Thompson enters fall camp as the starter at center after sliding over to the position late in the spring. The original starter heading into spring, Blake Sargent suffered a shoulder injury that prompted the move.

Expect a smooth transition to center for Chris Thompson (Nick de la Torre/Chronicle)

Anderson said he isn’t sure whether Sargent would be ready to go on the first day of fall camp, but he would expect to see him at least a couple of weeks into camp.

“Blake’s doing good and he’s got to get that thing well,” Anderson said. “He’s got to get himself back into football shape.”

Kevin Forsch and Bryce Redmen will take center reps as well, giving Anderson four guys (including Sargent) who will have some time snapping the ball in camp. Forsch will likely start camp as the No. 2 center behind Thompson while Sargent continues to recover.

As for Thompson, Anderson feels good about his ability to make the transition to the middle.

“Chris Thompson is a tough football player and a smart kid,” Anderson said. “He knows our offense, was an all-league right guard and I expect him to be very effective handling the football and taking care of the football. He’s got natural leadership skills and I think it’s a really good fit for him.”